Reports on the development of a paper-pencil instrument which consists of five concrete experiences related to environmental concepts. Results indicate an acceptable level of validity. Results also show that the reasoning level of adolescents was well below the theoretical levels predicted for them by theory. (Author/JN)

This experimental study was conducted to: (1) provide further information on the susceptibility to special preparation of three Graduate Record Examination analytical item types; (2) determine the efficacy of self-study test familiarization materials for these types; and (3) ascertain the effects of several different components of special…

Reports on the development of a 19-item, Likert-type instrument that measures the attitudes of preservice and inservice teachers toward energy conservation. Focuses on the nine-step process used in developing the instrument. (JN)

Research on the potential effects of different item arrangement schemes on item statistics is reviewed for three separate periods. Earliest studies investigated the simple main effect of item order on test performance. The late 1960s emphasized interactions between item order and examinees' characteristics. Current concern focuses on item…

Reviews the Stanford Writing Assessment Program that has three intended uses: district-wide survey of students' writing ability, diagnosis of classroom or district-wide instructional strengths and weaknesses, and staff development through training for administering and scoring of writing samples. Notes that of these uses, none is necessarily best…

Stresses the importance of devising accurate methods of evaluation rather than teaching material only because it can be easily evaluated. (DF)

Results of a rational, multiple-choice, cloze Spanish achievement test indicate the validity of such a test to measure achievement. It is suggested that with only minor adaptations, such a test could be used as a way to measure macro- and microprogress with specific materials at any point in a course or program where reading may be tested. (SL)

Study One examined Swedish and American children's understanding of what constitutes fair criteria for the distribution of goods (i.e., distributive justice). Study Two compared children's distributive justice in family and peer contexts, and Study Three attempted a longitudinal assessment of distributive justice reasoning in two different…

The role of content validity in policy-relevant research is illustrated in a study contrasting results of surveys concerning public opinion toward gun control. Inadequate content validity threatened inferences about the overall level of support for gun control, but not about opinion difference between sexes or respondents of varying political…

Concludes that the reviewed test, which is designed to assess mathematics, reading, spelling, and writing abilities in students from first grade through post high school, is limited in usefulness for older students. (FL)

Discusses problems with the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Guidelines and examines inconsistencies relating to three assumptions of oral proficiency (OPT)--hours of study, accuracy/interest, and errors. Further, it is argued that the main problems with OPT arise from an analytic approach and the native speaker yardstick. (SED)

This study examined the influence of processing strategies, and the metacomponents that determine when to apply them, on the construct validity of a verbal reasoning test. A rule-oriented strategy, an association strategy, and a partial rule strategy were examined. All three strategies contributed to individual differences in verbal reasoning.…

Addresses two concerns about how educational reforms are being carried out: (1) the definitions being used to determine what is basic in education, and (2) the tests being used to measure those "basic skills." Suggests some solutions for teachers who recognize the legitimacy of public concern and the necessity of public support. (HTH)

Discusses criticism leveled at intelligence tests, including cultural and ethnic bias, charges related to content validity, and the ongoing debate of the relative influence of heredity and environment. Many popular attacks are misguided. (RM)

For 404 community college students differentiated by sex, ethnicity, and types of educational majors, an estimate of the concurrent validity of each of two predictor measures (locus of control and sex-role orientation) was obtained relative to a criterion measure portraying the fear of success construct. (Author/PN)